First, let me preface my
remarks by saying that these are strictly my opinions on this topic…and you
know what they say about opinions, “…they’re like an anus. Everybody has one
and they usually stink.”

That being said, what image
do I conjure up in your mind when I say the word “alchemist?” Is it some
deranged Dr. Frankenstein character working feverishly away in his hidden
laboratory, wearing a leather apron and big gloves and surrounded by Bunsen
burners, beakers, and candles? Is he sweating profusely, incessantly ringing
his hands, pacing back and forth and muttering to himself, “I’m gonna be
rich! I’m gonna be rich! I’m gonna be rich?” That’s the image I get.

But let’s discuss alchemy and
what it was supposed to have been. I think it’s a fair statement to say that
alchemy was basically the belief that through ritual purification and the
discovery of the “Philosopher’s
Stone,” an adept could change
base metals such as
lead into gold, and produce an elixir that if properly utilized would
allow him to live forever, or at least extend life. No wonder so many people
were interested in alchemy…being rich and living forever are pretty attractive
alternatives to most mundane lives. Can you imagine the danger to the
alchemist if those “in power” actually believed he had succeeded in making
gold and extending life? No wonder they all worked in hidden laboratories.

This brings me to my first
correlation between Alchemy and Freemasonry. Let me ask you a question…would
anybody reading this consider a
Masonic Lodge a laboratory? Probably not, right? But what if I broke
down the word “laboratory” into its Latin origins? “Labor et ora”…or in
English…”work and pray.” Now what do you think? I think it’s a pretty
accurate description of what takes place in our Lodges.

But what kind of work are we
doing here? Are we changing base metals into gold? No. But ask yourself
this question…”Are we changing basically good men into better men; men of
virtue?” You bet we are.

So what about the
“ritualistic purification” that an alchemist has to go through each time he
begins his work? Think about this, “What are Masons taught in the Entered
Apprentice Degree that they should do before engaging on any laudable
undertaking?” They are taught to invoke the aid of Deity, to ask for God’s
blessing on the work they are about to begin. Isn’t this a form of ritual and
purification of thought and purpose? I think so.

Ok…what of the Philosopher’s
Stone? That mystical and elusive rock rumored to be at the same time, part of
the sun and the moon? Where else have I heard about the sun and the moon? If
you think back to your Entered Apprentice Degree, are we not taught that the
lesser lights in Masonry include the sun and the moon? We are even taught how
they are explained and that (in a manner of speaking) as they provide light to
dispel the darkness, the
Worshipful Master of the Lodge should use their example to govern his
Lodge, dispensing light and dispelling darkness or causing the same to be done
by his officers. Again…isn’t it ironic that in both alchemy and Freemasonry
we refer to the sun and the moon as symbols or examples…and that a combination
of the two results in the Philosopher’s Stone…or that by using them as an
example, the Worshipful Master presides over the lodge.

How about looking at metal as
a symbol? Consider this from the Entered Apprentice degree, “How were you
prepared?” Weren’t you divested of everything metallic? And isn’t there
somewhere else in the Degree where metal is mentioned? Oh yeah, right…after
passing through the forms and ceremonies you were asked to deposit something
of a metallic nature with the Master of the Lodge. Is there anywhere else?
How about when talking about the building of
King Solomon’s Temple? Was there heard the sound of any tool of
metal…nope.

But I think the most obvious
alchemical symbols in
the Entered Apprentice Degree are the ashlars; the rough and the perfect.
Think about it for a second. In operative masonry, through properly utilizing
the common gavel (one of the principal working tools of an Entered Apprentice
Mason); workers are able to chip away at the imperfections in the stone and
better prepare them to be utilized in the building efforts. In Speculative
Masonry, the common gavel symbolizes our noble attempt to chip away at all of
our own imperfections, thereby preparing ourselves for the afterlife and
hopefully earning the benefits of a life well-lived. Sounds kinda like finding that
elixir of life…that
mystical concoction that the alchemists believed would allow them to live
forever; “eternal life.”

So…let me ask you something.
These alchemists, these forerunners of modern day scientists, these guys that
have been chasing after the Philosopher’s Stone since the time of ancient
Egypt or before; isn’t it possible that they were simply the “un-initiated?”
Isn’t it possible that these were simply men who looked at the symbols and
philosophies of what we today refer to as “Freemasonry,” and mistakenly
interpreted them as literal and gave them a more worldly and materialistic
meaning? Let me quote something from the book Alchemy by E.J. Holmyard,
where he provides a fifteenth century dialogue between an alchemist and
his son who wishes to be taught the art. It reads as follows:

“…Son upon
condition I shall thee teach

So that thou
wilt on the Sacrament swear

That thou shalt
never write it in scripture

Nor teach it to
no man except thou be sure

That he is a
perfect man to God and also full of charity.

Doing always
good deeds and that he be full of humility

And that you know him not in loud words but always soft and still

And also prove
whether his life be good or ill

And all this
shall thou swear and also make a vow

If thou wilt
have this knowledge of me now

And the same
oath on book they make to thee

Ere thou them
let any part of this science know or see.”

Now remember, this was
written in the 1400’s, approximately 300 years before the first
Grand Lodge of England
was formed. I know the language is a little difficult to comprehend, so let
me break it down for you in a way that you might better understand it.

This guy tells his son that he will teach him the secrets of the craft on
certain conditions

First that he will
swear on the Holy Bible

That he will not
write any of the secrets

Neither will he reveal them to anyone unless he be a just and upright man
before God, full of charity

Doing only good deeds and being a man of humility

That he not be one who causes dissent by raising his voice, but always seeks
peace and harmony through soft words and a gentle manner

And that he require this man to prove himself

By
taking the same vow before him

And if he does so and he is convinced of his sincerity, he may reveal to him
that which is about to be revealed to the son

How familiar does that
sound? Take just a moment and recite the Entered Apprentice
Obligation in your head.

So…are there Alchemical
symbols in Freemasonry? Of course there are. But maybe an even better
question to ask is, “Are there really just misunderstood
Masonic symbols in
Alchemy?”

My opinion is that
Freemasonry (or however it was referred to at the time) came first. What do
you think?

Alchemy
by E.J. Holmyard

Alchemy and the
First Degree of Freemasonry by Donald J. Tansey

Bro Kohanke was initiated, passed, and raised at
Davy Crockett Lodge #1225 in
San Antonio, Texas under the jurisdiction of the
Grand Lodge of
Texas in 1991-92. He served as Chaplain in 1993-94. He is currently
the Senior Deacon. His Royal Arch Chapter is Helotes #444 and Council is
Helotes #362. He is a member of Brownwood
Commandery #7 in
Boerne, Texas. He is also a 32' member of the Scottish Rite, Valley
of San Antonio - Orient
of Texas and a Noble of
the Mystic Shrine. I am a member of the
Scottish Rite Research Society,
the Masonic Society, and the Texas Lodge of Research. Although I make my
living in the field of Human Resources Management, I am also an ordained
Unitarian Minister. Brother Kohanke is also one of the founding members of the
Dave Crocket Light Brigade, this group of Brothers in Dave Crocket Lodge
complete research, prepare and present Masonic Education-Light- at each of
their stated meetings.